Love is Not Rude

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

LOVE IS NOT RUDE

1 Cor 13:4-7

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

NIV

Love is not rude, or as the Greek word could imply in a more direct way, behave in an unbecoming manner. This word might also be translated as impolite, uncivil, disrespectful and impertinent, or even unpleasant. The definition of this word rude is to be offensively impolite. When we think about rudeness being offensive it reminds us of the offense played in football. They make plans to overpower the defense, to get through and make a touchdown. This seems to be the way rudeness works. It is offensive, but it is also an offense, an attack upon someone, almost in a manner to overpower a person’s natural defense. Being rude is intentional, it does not just happen, although it is possible rudeness might be a natural characteristic of some individuals. However, it cannot be so with a believer. We cannot allow this type of behavior to exist in us for that would not be loving our neighbor. It would seem it would be pretty obvious when rudeness appears, especially looking at its synonyms along with the definition of rude. This is one of those behaviors that is an outpouring of an attitude of disrespectfulness. If we do not respect someone it would seem natural to be rude to them. However, as a Christian, because we love our spouse, our neighbor or our fellow believers, and all those non-believers we have contact with throughout our day, we would never ever think to exhibit any disrespect, and thus be rude to them. The problem that we might face is with that one or two irregular people in our lives. These are those people that seem to simply rub us the wrong way, as in fingernails screeching down a chalkboard. No matter how much we try to like them, it seems all we want to do is avoid them, almost at all cost. But when we work with them, or worship with them, or have to engage with them in some business, we need the grace of God so as to not be, in any way, rude, but rather exhibit the love of God. Not everyone is easy to love, but that is exactly what we are commanded to do, love so we will not be rude.